What did you do to your Gen 3 today?

[HighwaySentinel]

Real carbon fiber stuff aint for the baller on a budget. That said it’s a whole replacement panel not an overlay

Completely aware of what it is. Just don't see the bang for the buck putting it on a truck.

 

[Waterfowler41]

Completely aware of what it is. Just don't see the bang for the buck putting it on a truck.

I like the way it looks on my truck ‍I guess?

 

[jm77]

Thanks for the write up and photos. I just received my set from SVC and and it’s very well built and impressive. However, they still have no instructions beyond a YouTube video which is helpful but leaves a lot to be desired (torque settings for all of the bolts would be useful). The install does appear to be fairly straightforward and your pictures resolved the mystery of which direction the mounts go (SVC badge to the rear). I always love getting a box that contains a bag of bolts and parts and no parts list or instructions or a list of tools required.

If you don’t mind me asking, I have a few questions. First, did you drop the spare to have more room to work and easier access to the crossmember? Second, it looks like I also need to grind down the OEM bump stop mounting points in addition to cutting free and relocating the brake line retaining bracket (would have been nice if they could have found a way to reposition the mount so you didn’t need to cut it up). Is that the case? Finally, the bag ‘o bolts they provided included two extended star bolts. Did yours come with those and where the heck do those go on the install? Thanks in advance.

Oh well, this looks like a job for cooler weather or just pay the shop to do the install and hope they get more out of the video.

Yes, I dropped the spare and did one side at a time. Jacked up one side by the axel and supported with jack stands. If you do it this way, you’ll need to carefully raise the truck by the frame rail during the last step to gain enough clearance to slide in the bump stop into the bracket.

No need to grind the factory bump stop, it is only held in place by a single bolt from the center and will need to be removed/discarded. I ground little of the factory welding on the frame rails where the SVC bracket contacts. You don’t need to go completely flat but just take down any spots that are protruding excessively. I used steel-it black paint to touch up. Yes, the factory tab on the axle that holds the brake lines will need to be cut off, ground smooth, and painted as well. That can all sound a bit daunting but was pretty easy.

The bolts are fairly easy to figure out. There should be 4x bolts and nuts that are used for the “U” brackets that attach the bump pad to the axle. It will also use the factory lower trailing arm bolt for the bump pad, torque is 175lbs. Make sure you use a clamp to hold the bump pad down on the axle while tightening. You want it to be fully in contact with the axle.

There’s 8x bolts and nuts for the plate that attaches to the backside of the frame rail and bump stop bracket. I think I used the factory bump stop bolt to hold the bracket in place during install, and left it installed after. Make sure the back plate is in contact with the frame on the backside.

There should be 2 large diameter bolts and a set of nuts with a welded on washer that are used to attach the bracket to the frame rails. They are installed horizontally through the bracket and factory frame hole. This is the only hard part of the install and will want 2 sets of hands. I also used a crows foot in the correct size of these nuts and taped the nuts to the wrench. The nuts are placed inside the frame rail and must be aligned and tightened. There’s a hole on the inside of the frame rail to access but does not line up perfectly so you will need to angle the wrench and but to align.

The 6x 12point bolts are used to attach the bump can brackets to the frame brackets. The standard position is to use all 3 bolts so the can is in the middle position. It can be moved down for towing or up if you had bed cage mounted shocks.

I think there’s 2 bolts and 2 aluminum spacers that are used to replace the factory crossmember hardware on one side. Can’t remember if it was driver or passenger but it will be obvious when you go to line everything up. Think the other side just used the factory hardware but I could be wrong and SVC provided bolts for that side too. Can’t remember at the moment but am fairly sure only 1 side needed the spacers.

Lastly, you’ll need a large wrench to tighten the bump stop mounting nut. I tightened everything tight to feel and torqued the trailing arm pivot.

Not sure what the star bolts you are referencing are but maybe post a picture so I can see. Overall install was pretty easy but definitely have an extra set of hands to help. Think the 1st side took a couple hours as I was taking my time. 2nd side was under an hour once I figured out the process.

 

[MFouts]

I like the way it looks on my truck ‍I guess?

Sure but how much of this stuff you are putting in videos are you paying for yourself?

 

[khildebr]

Yes, I dropped the spare and did one side at a time. Jacked up one side by the axel and supported with jack stands. If you do it this way, you’ll need to carefully raise the truck by the frame rail during the last step to gain enough clearance to slide in the bump stop into the bracket.

No need to grind the factory bump stop, it is only held in place by a single bolt from the center and will need to be removed/discarded. I ground little of the factory welding on the frame rails where the SVC bracket contacts. You don’t need to go completely flat but just take down any spots that are protruding excessively. I used steel-it black paint to touch up. Yes, the factory tab on the axle that holds the brake lines will need to be cut off, ground smooth, and painted as well. That can all sound a bit daunting but was pretty easy.

The bolts are fairly easy to figure out. There should be 4x bolts and nuts that are used for the “U” brackets that attach the bump pad to the axle. It will also use the factory lower trailing arm bolt for the bump pad, torque is 175lbs. Make sure you use a clamp to hold the bump pad down on the axle while tightening. You want it to be fully in contact with the axle.

There’s 8x bolts and nuts for the plate that attaches to the backside of the frame rail and bump stop bracket. I think I used the factory bump stop bolt to hold the bracket in place during install, and left it installed after. Make sure the back plate is in contact with the frame on the backside.

There should be 2 large diameter bolts and a set of nuts with a welded on washer that are used to attach the bracket to the frame rails. They are installed horizontally through the bracket and factory frame hole. This is the only hard part of the install and will want 2 sets of hands. I also used a crows foot in the correct size of these nuts and taped the nuts to the wrench. The nuts are placed inside the frame rail and must be aligned and tightened. There’s a hole on the inside of the frame rail to access but does not line up perfectly so you will need to angle the wrench and but to align.

The 6x 12point bolts are used to attach the bump can brackets to the frame brackets. The standard position is to use all 3 bolts so the can is in the middle position. It can be moved down for towing or up if you had bed cage mounted shocks.

I think there’s 2 bolts and 2 aluminum spacers that are used to replace the factory crossmember hardware on one side. Can’t remember if it was driver or passenger but it will be obvious when you go to line everything up. Think the other side just used the factory hardware but I could be wrong and SVC provided bolts for that side too. Can’t remember at the moment but am fairly sure only 1 side needed the spacers.

Lastly, you’ll need a large wrench to tighten the bump stop mounting nut. I tightened everything tight to feel and torqued the trailing arm pivot.

Not sure what the star bolts you are referencing are but maybe post a picture so I can see. Overall install was pretty easy but definitely have an extra set of hands to help. Think the 1st side took a couple hours as I was taking my time. 2nd side was under an hour once I figured out the process.

Thanks, this helps a lot and is certainly a better description of the process than what SVC provides. I figured out that the bolts I was referencing are the 12 point bolts. So a bad description on my part and you’re right; once you start laying things out things, it becomes clearer. Appreciate the heads up about needing two sets of hands and use of a crows foot for the nut inside the frame rail. In the video they kind of gloss over what is involved.

 

[Waterfowler41]

Sure but how much of this stuff you are putting in videos are you paying for yourself?

Since you asked….My channel is sponsored by quite a few companies (big and small) and I’m proud as h&ll to say that. I invested a lot of time/money and worked my butt off over several years to get my channel to where it is today.

I thank the truck gods EVERY day for the opportunities my channel's success has afforded me in the hobby I love. Never in a million years did I think making crappy how to videos in my garage would become as big a part of my and my family’s life.

Sorry, you asked so figured I’d answer as honest as possible.

 

[WTX]

Since you asked….My channel is sponsored by quite a few companies (big and small) and I’m proud as h&ll to say that. I invested a lot of time/money and worked my butt off over several years to get my channel to where it is today.

I thank the truck gods EVERY day for the opportunities my channel's success has afforded me in the hobby I love. Never in a million years did I think making crappy how to videos in my garage would become as big a part of my and my family’s life.

Sorry, you asked so figured I’d answer as honest as possible.

I would personally thank the All Mighty for all my successes. Haha

What’s your channel?

 

[Waterfowler41]

I would personally thank the All Mighty for all my successes. Haha

What’s your channel?

Waterfowler 41 on the ol’ YouTube.

 

[MFouts]

Since you asked….My channel is sponsored by quite a few companies (big and small) and I’m proud as h&ll to say that. I invested a lot of time/money and worked my butt off over several years to get my channel to where it is today.

I thank the truck gods EVERY day for the opportunities my channel's success has afforded me in the hobby I love. Never in a million years did I think making crappy how to videos in my garage would become as big a part of my and my family’s life.

Sorry, you asked so figured I’d answer as honest as possible.

It's great that you have been successful but I have concerns that your feedback can be unbiased if someone is paying you to say it and you didn't really answer the question.

 

[mleaky]

Changed the chrome Ford lug nuts to black McGard lugs and wheel lock.

McGard Black Lugs - 64074
McGard Black Lock - 24216

21mm Socket to remove Ford lugs
22mm Socket to install McGard Lugs/Lock

Note to self, now you need to carry something in 22mm to remove the lugs/locks in the future. I'm just going to carry a 18" 3/8th breaker bar and a 22mm socket. Don't ditch the factory wheel removal tools though, you still need them to lower the spare. With just a little bit of research it looks like a OEM Dodge 2500/3500 lug wrench is 22mm and still has the square hole in the middle of the wrench to us the tire lowering tools, but I haven't tried that yet.